Signaling device for motor vehicles



Cd. 29, 1940. WQRRALL 2,219,351

SIGNALING DEVICE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed Feb. 28, 1938 CHECK/4M0 4010a TABLE U/5501.5 V/ILVE INVENTOR RQBERTH. WORRAL ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 29, 1940 SIGNALING DEVICE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Robert H. Worrall, Washington, D. C. Application February 28, 1938, Serial No. 193,021

1 Claim.

(Granted under the act oi. March a, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) This invention relates to signaling devices for motor vehicles and it has a particular relation to the control of the circuits of the stop or warning lamps thereof.

In operating a motor vehicle it is usually the practice for the driver in decreasing speed to first release the pressure on the foot throttle or accelerator and it a further reduction in speed is desired, as when coming to a full stop, the foot brakes are subsequently applied. The foot brakes are generally constructed so as to close the circuit of the stop or warning lamp and to illuminate the same when the brakes are applied but thus far no attempt has been made to indicate that the speed of the vehicle is to be reduced by merely decreasing the fiow of fuel to the engine.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of means for controlling the circuit of a stop or warning lamp of a motor vehicle in such manner as to cause the lamp to be illuminated when the operator decides to reduce the speed of the Vehicle by decreasing the pressure on the foot throttle.

her Object of the invention is the provision of device Operable y the foot throttle hen pressure thereon is decreased for closin e circuit of the stop or warning lamp and which will automatically open said circuit after 9. time interval of predetermined duration elapses even though the pressure on the throttle may not be further decreased.

With these and other objects in view, as well as other advantages that may be incident to the use of the improvements, the invention consists in the parts and combinations thereof hereinafter set forth and claimed, and with the understanding that the several necessary elements constituting the same may be varied in proportion and arrangement without departing from the nature and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claim.

In order to make the invention more clearly understood, there are shown in the accompanying drawing, means for carrying the invention into practical use, without limiting the improvements in their useful application to the particular construction, which, for the purpose of explanation, have been made the subject of illustration.

In the accompanying drawing: 7

The figure is a diagrammatic view of a signaling device constructed in accordance with the invention.

Referring to the drawing, the invention is shown as embodying a stop or warning lamp l0, energized by a source of electric energy such as a battery II and controlled by a switch including a fixed contact l2 and a movable contact in the form of a leaf spring it. Under normal conditions the movable contact I3 is maintained out of engagement with the fixed contact l2 so as to deenergize the lamp Ill, by means of a dash-pot mechanism, indicated generally at it. This mechanism includes in its construction a cylinder l5 one end of which is disposed in engagement with the movable contact 13 and which houses a piston I6 fixed at one end of a rod ll, the other end of the rod being pivotally connected with one end of a lever l8. The other end of the lever I8 is pivotally mounted as at I! to the chassis of the vehicle and is actuated by the foot throttle through the medium of a slot and pin connection 2|. The piston I5 is normally maintained in the position shown by a spring 22 surrounding the piston rod 11 between the end 0! the cylinder l5 and a, plate 23 fixed to the rod. A 20 check ball valve 24 is provided in the piston l6 so as to permit the piston to move downwardly with little or no resistance, but is restrained in its upward movement. The rate at which air may escape through this valve may be adjusted 25 by means of any suitable needle valve so as to obtain the desired delayed action of the piston in an upward direction.

When the operator depresses the foot throttle 20 the piston I6 is moved downwardly against 39 the action of the spring 22, the air in the lower 1 end of the cylinder escaping freely through the check valve 24 so as to impart little or no movement to the cylinder I5. What small distance that the cylinder l5 may move will only force the movable contact I3 further away from the contact l2. It, now, the operator preparatory to slowing down, releases the throttle 20, even a small amount, the suction created in the lower end of the cylinder l5 will cause the piston and 40 cylinder to move upwardly together and close the contacts I2--l3, thus completing the circuit through the tail lamp l0 and energizing the same. The spring 22, however, being under compression, urges the cylinder gradually downwardly at a rate 5 determined by the leakage of the air past the valve 24, until it again engages the contact l3 and flexes it out of engagement with the contact [2, thus interrupting the circuit through the lamp i0. nated may be relatively short and may be only a flash, but it is of sufficient duration to indicate to a following driver of a contemplated change in speed of the preceding vehicle.

The device may, in other respects, be modified 66 The time interval that the lamp is illumiin construction and arrangement of the parts by those skilled in the art without departing from the nature and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

The invention described herein may be manuiactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

I claim:

In a signaling system for motor vehicles wherein a warning lamp is energized by electric current traversing a circuit controlled by a switch operable by a foot pedal movable between released and depressed positions to control the speed of the engine, the combination 01' a cylinder engageable with said switch, a piston in said cylinder an connected with said pedal, 8. spring for urgin said piston toward one end of said cylinder, an

valve mechanism for permitting said piston t move freely toward the other end of said cylinde against the action of said spring while maintain ing said switch open when said pedal is depresse to increase the speed of the engine and for retarding the movement of said piston toward the first mentioned end of the cylinder under the action of said spring to permit said switch to close and energize said lamp for a time interval of predetermined duration when said pedal is released to decrease the speed of the engine.

ROBERT'H. WORRAIL. 

